Career Summary

Biography

Dr Leanne Brown is a Senior Lecturer and Academic Team Leader at the University of Newcastle, Department of Rural Health where she has been based since 2003. She is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian with 20 years' experience in the dietetics profession. Dr Brown graduated from the University of Newcastle in 1994 with an undergraduate degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and worked as a clinical dietitian for 10 years in a number of metropolitan hospitals gaining a broad range of dietetic and management experience. Since 2003, Dr Brown has worked in an academic role in the University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) program, which was established in Tamworth in 2002. The UDRH program focuses on facilitating student placements and learning, enhancing the health of local communities through community projects and conducting research into rural health issues. Dr Brown completed her PhD (Nutrition and Dietetics) at the University of Newcastle 2009. Her doctoral research investigated the barriers to the provision of a best practice dietetics service in rural areas. Ongoing research interests include dietetic workforce issues, rural dietetic services, sports nutrition and best practice dietetic services for rural areas. Her key research achievements to date include:

• Two (2) conference papers and > 40 conference abstracts. • Research grants to the total of $77,000 and teaching and project grants totalling $152,070.

• Supervision of nine Honours students and two PhD students.

• Invitations to present at a Qualitative Research Workshop at the DAA NSW Regional Event in Newcastle 2010 and the New England Nutrition and Dietetics Research Symposium in 2005, 2007 and 2009.

• Invited to contribute to two Australian Rural Health Education Network publications; 'Opportunities as Vast as the Landscape' in 2006 and 'A Bright Future for Rural Health' in 2010.

• Member of the Scientific Committee for the 16th International Congress of Dietetics 2012 in Sydney.

Dr Brown is an Accredited Sports Dietitian and also has accreditation as a Level 3 Anthropometrist with the International Society for Advancement of Kinanthropometry. She teaches into the Bachelor of Nutrition & Dietetics program by providing online teaching and course co-ordination for two courses, Sports Nutrition NUDI4270 and Nutrition 1 HLSC1200 (Distance). Dr Brown was awarded an Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning in 2009. She was also awarded an Academic Achievement Award from the University of Newcastle Faculty of Health in 2004 and Vice Chancellor's Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning in 2008.

Research ExpertiseResearch into best practice dietetic services in rural areas and the rural dietetics workforce. Sports nutrition and anthropometric (body composition) research.

Teaching ExpertiseExpertise in teaching sports nutrition and anthropometrics. Also experience in clinical and general nutrition. Interprofessional learning modules.

Objective: To assess the research contribution of eleven University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH) which were established as a rural health workforce program in the late 1990s... [more]

Objective: To assess the research contribution of eleven University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH) which were established as a rural health workforce program in the late 1990s through analysis of peer-reviewed journal output. Design and settings: Descriptive study based on validated publications from publication output reported in annual key performance indicator (KPI) reports to the Commonwealth Department of Health, Australia. Main outcome measures: In addition to counts and the type of publications, articles were examined to assess fields of research, evidence of research collaboration, and potential for influencing policy. Funding acknowledgement was examined to provide insight into funding sources and research consultancies. Results: Of the 182 peer-reviewed articles, UDRH staff members were the first and corresponding author for 45% (n=82); most (69%, n=126) were original research. Most publications examined included Australian data only (80%, n=101). Over half (56%; n=102) of the articles addressed rural health issues; Aboriginal health was the main subject in 14% (n=26). Thirty-three articles (18%) discussed the policy implications of the research and only half (51%, n=93) of the articles listed sources of funding. Number of authors per article ranged from 1-19, with a mean of 5 (SD=3.2) authors per article, two-thirds of articles included authors from 2-5 universities/organisations but only 5% of articles included an author from more than one UDRH. Conclusions: Staff from UDRHs are regularly publishing peer-reviewed articles, and research productivity demonstrated cooperation with external partners. Better collaboration between UDRH staff and others may help increase the quality and value of Australian rural health research.

Objective: To assess the research contribution of eleven University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH) which were established as a rural health workforce program in the late 1990s... [more]

Objective: To assess the research contribution of eleven University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH) which were established as a rural health workforce program in the late 1990s through analysis of peer-reviewed journal output. Design and settings: Descriptive study based on validated publications from publication output reported in annual key performance indicator (KPI) reports to the Commonwealth Department of Health, Australia. Main outcome measures: In addition to counts and the type of publications, articles were examined to assess fields of research, evidence of research collaboration, and potential for influencing policy. Funding acknowledgement was examined to provide insight into funding sources and research consultancies. Results: Of the 182 peer-reviewed articles, UDRH staff members were the first and corresponding author for 45% (n=82); most (69%, n=126) were original research. Most publications examined included Australian data only (80%, n=101). Over half (56%; n=102) of the articles addressed rural health issues; Aboriginal health was the main subject in 14% (n=26). Thirty-three articles (18%) discussed the policy implications of the research and only half (51%, n=93) of the articles listed sources of funding. Number of authors per article ranged from 1-19, with a mean of 5 (SD=3.2) authors per article, two-thirds of articles included authors from 2-5 universities/organisations but only 5% of articles included an author from more than one UDRH. Conclusions: Staff from UDRHs are regularly publishing peer-reviewed articles, and research productivity demonstrated cooperation with external partners. Better collaboration between UDRH staff and others may help increase the quality and value of Australian rural health research.

Rural and remote communities in Australia are typically underserviced by dietitians. The recruitment of dietitians to rural areas has improved in recent years; however, retention ... [more]

Rural and remote communities in Australia are typically underserviced by dietitians. The recruitment of dietitians to rural areas has improved in recent years; however, retention remains an issue. Key factors that lead to an increase in funding and the development of more dietetic positions in rural areas are unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe dietetic services in rural areas and to determine the drivers for and barriers to the development of dietetic positions in rural areas. A sequential explanatory mixed methods approach was used to examine six case study sites of dietetic service delivery in rural northern New South Wales (NSW) Australia between 1991 and 2006. The six sites represented different models of dietetic service delivery from the study area. Data sources included workforce documents and in-depth individual interviews on position development with 40 key informants, including past and present dietitians, dietetic managers and health service managers. Interview data were thematically analysed with the aid of NVivo7 (www.qsrinternational.com). Themes were coded into common categories, using a constant comparison inductive approach. Forty key informants agreed to participate in the in-depth, semi-structured interview. Participants included 28 dietitians (past and present), three dietetics managers and nine managers. The majority of participants were female (87.5%). Document analysis showed that the dietetic workforce had a 5.6-fold increase across the six sites over the 15 years. Themes that emerged from the interviews indicated that new positions were established through ad hoc and opportunistic funding, a gradual increase in funding or due to concerted efforts by champions advocating for increased funding. The findings from this study have important implications for the development of dietetic staffing in rural areas. There is an inconsistent approach to the development of dietetic positions in rural areas of Australia. Factors that inhibited the development of positions included a general lack of funds and competing priorities. A systematic, planned approach to the development of dietetic positions is needed in rural Australia. Champions for the development of positions were effective in increasing positions, particularly when they have management support.

Research Supervision

Current Supervision

Commenced

Research Title / Program / Supervisor Type

2014

Diet Quality for Cancer Survivors: Systematic Review of the Evidence, Australian Epidemiology, Intervention and Recommendations for Public Health NutritionNutrition & Dietetics, Faculty of Health and MedicineCo-Supervisor

2013

Optimising Dietary Intake and Nutrition-Related Health Outcomes in Aboriginal Women and their ChildrenNutrition & Dietetics, Faculty of Health and MedicineCo-Supervisor